THE flash of blue and orange signboard announcing “Roberto’s Café & Restaurant” caught my attention while driving along Beach Road in Garapan on Friday afternoon, and I knew I just had to go back and see what it has to offer two hungry stomachs.

Fried Flying Tilapya

It was past 5 p.m. and I haven’t had anything yet for the whole day except for a couple of cups of coffee. The glass walls gave us a quick glimpse into the inside of the restaurant before we pushed open the glass door— neat walls devoid of any decorations and ornaments, wooden chairs and tables, counters filled with an assortment of nuts.

They handed us a couple of the one-page laminated menu and I immediately saw what I want—flying fried tilapia. Intrigued, I did not ask questions but just waited to see why it was called flying tilapia. My buddy decided he wanted Roberto’s version of boneless fried chicken.

The food staff served us chicken noodle soups in small bowls as we waited for our order. Then my ‘flying tilapia’ was served, answering my question. It was a big one, sliced on both sides making it look like it is flying, and deep fried to perfection just the way I like it. My tilapia set came with a serving of steamed rice, vegetable salad, pickled papaya and finadene sauce.

A few minutes later, my buddy’s order was served—crispy bite size boneless chicken pieces served on a bed of vegetable salad. It came with garlic sauce and a serving of rice. We dug into our food but did not finish the tilapia. We took the remaining half of it home. For dessert, I got one of the freshly baked cheese tarts. We were halfway into our early dinner when more diners came in, including a family with kids.

Roberto’s Café & Restaurant opened just three weeks ago and they are already getting a good share of diners from both locals and tourists. As soon as the sun started to set, the food staffers pulled the blinds up, giving us a good view of the Beach Road and the Saipan lagoon bathed in gold, red and orange reflections from the sky.

Try Roberto’s specials like lobster which you can order grilled teppanyaki style or steamed, or pair if off with a combination of steak for the Surf & Turf option, and prawns.

The all-day breakfast specials include omelets, local breakfast, French combo, Pinoy breakfast, fried rice in several variations, and pancakes. They also serve various noodles, salads, desserts like banana split, ice cream scoop, cakes and cupcakes.

Steaks are also available in 8 and 10 oz servings. Try Roberto’s version of Angus Tenderloin steak, Angus rib eye steak and Angus New York steak. Roberto’s also serves a variety of pizza like Hawaiian, cheese, pepperoni, four seasons, and Roberto’s Special Pizza—from $15.99 to $19.99.

The food staffers said they will start serving breakfast earlier very soon. Most of the food at Roberto’s are within the $8 to $20 range, and the servings are generous. Roberto’s Café & Restaurant is located at the ground floor of the Gold Beach Hotel along Beach Road. They are open everyday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. They only accept cash for now. For reservations please call 235-BOBS (2627).

IF hunger pangs strike and you’re on Tinian, JC Café in San Jose village is your destination. JC Café is the local equivalent of “everybody’s second kitchen” and that’s where I and my companion headed to last Monday when we had an afternoon off.

We had been driving around the island for an hour or so and were getting hungrier and thirstier by the minute so we decided to head to JC Café for dinner. And that’s where we got lost.

Tinian is such a small island but if one considers my sense of direction below excellent, I’d rate my companion’s sense below sea level. We were driving from the dock and suddenly, I didn’t even have an idea where to turn. We ended up driving any visible road and ending in dead ends, backing out and going in circles until we asked someone the right directions, and got more confused. In a place with no proper street names, it always remains a mystery how one can follow directions like take the right turn three streets down, then left, and right and another right. Yeah, right. We ended up where we started but finally, our patience paid off and we saw JC Café’s brilliant lights from afar.

Hungry beyond belief, I placed an order for sizzling beef, my favorite in their menu, as soon as I sat down. My companion took a longer time browsing through the menu before settling on Kimchi fried rice, whatever that was.

JC Café has not changed a lot since my first visit to the restaurant in 2008. After two decades of being everyone’s second kitchen, or kitchen away from your kitchen, they have maintained being everyone’s favorite and expanded their menu and introduced a lot of new dishes.

Allen’s order was served first—a huge red platter of fried rice mixed with vegetables and kimchi, and topped with a sunny side up. My order followed right after, served the way I remember it each time—sizzling hot beef slices with carrots, corn and green chili. It also came with a serving of steamed rice. For the next few minutes, we dug into our food in total silence until I raised my hand in surrender halfway into my meal. Allen tempted me to try his fried rice, but I resisted. I have never ever finished one serving of food from JC Café ever, no matter how hungry I was.

Another popular favorite at JC Café is the breaded shrimp and

the JC signature buttered chicken—crunchy slices of chicken served with finadene sauce for dipping.

JC Café’s menu includes a wide selection of local and international dishes. Choose from Western, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Chamorro and Filipino cuisine which are all available for dine in or take out.

The best thing with JC Café is you never have to wait for them to open or hurry before they close. They are open everyday so you have the option and the luxury of time for a leisurely breakfast, lunch, brunch, dinner or even a midnight or early morning meal.

If you just want to hang out, JC Café serves coffee or tea, pearl shakes in different flavors, chocomilk, or sodas. They also have beers you can enjoy if you want to hang around and dance to the latest beats at the dance floor.

At JC Café, it’s not just about eating. It’s also about hanging out and catching up with friends and family in a comfortable setting with a blend of modern and traditional decoration. For smokers, a section with tables and benches outside is set out for you.

FROM an abandoned structure sitting idle for some time rose the island’s homegrown volcano right in the Garapan, nestled between the DFS Galleria and I Love Saipan malls.

A buddy and I hurried to the Volcano Bar on Wednesday past 1 p.m. for a late lunch, hoping we could still catch up with the lunch hour. It was scorching hot outside but when you push open the heavy wooden door of Volcano Bar, you will be greeted with a relaxing coolness that makes you want to stay forever, or at least until it gets cooler outside.

We headed to one of the bamboo sofa sets inside and browsed through the two laminated menus the food staffer handed us. There were no more diners as it was almost closing time but we were still accommodated.

From the Volcano Bar specials menu I decided to try the Volcano’s version of Fillet of Fish while my lunch buddy ordered the beef curry.

Shortly after, the food staffer served a rectangular plateful of fresh green salad, followed by a bowl of mushroom soup topped with croutons. I pushed the salad to my lunch buddy and started on the soup, stopping when the bowl was half-empty. I had to wait for my fish fillet, or else I’d be too full.

The fish fillet—three flaky succulent slices of fish in classic crunchy coating it, was served on a bed of sautéed tomatoes and vegetables and sprinkled with chopped greens for added flavors. The sauce was a perfect dip for the fillet, and I found myself scraping my fish on the sides of the plate to get all the flavors. I ordered at serving of rice to go with my fish fillet. My order also came with a glass of iced tea, not bad for $9.

Served on a round platter, my buddy’s beef curry includes crispy beef cutlets on top of a serving of steamed rice and the curry filling up over a third of the plate. I am not much of a curry lover but I took a spoonful of it to taste, then another and another. It was good, without the usually strong flavors and aroma of curry that I always associate curry with.

Other must-try dishes in the Specials menu are seafood fry, seafood curry, spinach-bacon carbonara, clam spaghetti with toast, pasta Mentaiko with salad, Caesar salad and chili mushroom spaghetti with toast, all from $8 to $12 per order.

One best feature when you dine and drink at the Volcano Bar is airy, comfortable ambiance it provides. You can sink in the deep cushions of the bamboo sofas and enjoy happy hours drinking. The Volcano Bar is like an indoor garden, with a mix of native decorations including bamboo seats and tables, thatched ceiling giving you the feel of being inside a native hut. The French windows give diners a view of what’s going on in the busy street outside.

For those who just want to stop by for a quick coffee or a drink or two, the bar is the best place to hang out, or in one of the two tables shaped like beer barrels and stools near the door.

As an option, you can also occupy the tables outside the bar if you want to be in the open-air.

Volcano Bar serves lunch from Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and happy hours are from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. everyday. Cards are accepted. For inquiries or reservations please contact familybldg@gmail.com or call K Family LLC at 989-6242.

IF you’re looking for a restaurant with the best waterfront and sunset view, Oleai Beach Bar & Grill still tops the list on island.After it reopened under new management three months ago, Oleai Beach Bar & Grill has again become an ideal venue for parties and get-togethers, and a place to hang out and enjoy the food and the view.I was there on Saturday for an early dinner with a friend and we were lucky there were still some unoccupied tables near the open windows. There was also a long table at the waterside where you could eat barefoot and let your feet get wet.

Browsing through the menu, I decided to try grilled mahi-mahi while my companion ordered a serving of stir beef with combo vegetables both served with rice for $9.95.

The mahi-mahi slices were grilled to perfection. We were not so hungry but we soon cleared our plates and enjoyed the cool breeze from the ocean.

Oleai Beach Bar & Grill also serves a variety of certified Angus Beef steak including tenderloin, ribeye, hamburger steak all served with rice, salad, bread or baked potatoes from $14 and up,

Check out islander’s hamburger, fish burger or avocado hamburger served with French fries. There’s also a selection of soups, salads, pasta, appetizers such as sashimi, fish, shrimp, chicken and beef kelaguen, poke and other chasers.

If you feel like celebrating, try out the mega-platter and splurge on a six oz. tenderloin steak, whole lobster, tiger prawns and fish served with rice, bread or baked potatoes, salad, seafood soup, dessert and iced tea. The steak and lobster combo or the steak and tiger prawns combo are from $38 and up.

Tacos are also available at $5 for three pieces.

In addition, Oleai Beach Bar & Grill has a wide selection of cocktails, wines, beers and non-alcoholic drinks which you can enjoy at the seaside patio or in the bar where you can also listen to live music or watch shows from the LCD screens mounted on the walls.

Oleai Beach Bar & Grill is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Happiest Hours” are from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. — you get free chaser per drink. Happy Hours are from 5 to 7 p.m., dinner time is from 5 to 10 p.m. and bar time is up to 12 midnight. Credit cards are accepted.

I’D always wanted to check out Barefoot Beach Bar & BBQ at Kanoa Resort in Susupe, but never got around to it, until an impulsive decision took me and a friend there on Friday. Parking was a challenge, but we were lucky to find one spot left.

Barefoot Beach Bar & BBQ is the newest beachfront barbecue place on island. It’s a place where you can take off your shoes and step on the wooden planks and sand.The place was almost filled up when we arrived at past 7 p.m., missing a spectacular sunset we were planning to capture earlier. All the tables by the bar’s edge were taken but again, we were lucky to find one vacant spot near the stage where the After Nine band was playing a lively set.

Cheerful food staffers immediately brought cocktail menus to our table. I had no idea what to order, but my friend asked for margarita and a tray of nachos and cheese. I eventually decided to try the piñacolada and fried chicken wings with special instructions not to make them spicy.

Our drinks were delivered to our table in a few minutes and we started sipping them while waiting for our appetizers. The nachos and cheese were served on a rectangular wicker tray, followed by chicken wings with French fries.

I took a bite of the chicken wings and had to whistle. I’ve very low tolerance for spicy foods and their version of “not too spicy” was enough to make me cry. I had to sip my piñacolada after each bite.

For other appetizers to go with your drinks, you can try fried onion rings, chicken kelaguen, and fried Shanghai lumpia — all at $6 per order.

Check out the selection of standard mixed drinks: Hawaiian screw, orange blossom, vodka tonic and more at $6, or the premium mixed drinks such as Chivas with Coke, Jack Daniel with Coke and more. Cocktail drinks include Blue Hawaii, Mai Tai, Apple Bay, Mudslide, Cosmopolitan and others.

For those who prefer non-alcoholic drinks, you can order four seasons, fruit punch, Shirley Temple, mango, pineapple or orange slush. Barefoot Beach Bar & BBQ also serves soda, juices, domestic and imported beer as well as a draft beer per glass or pitcher.

Barefoot Beach Bar & BBQ is a place where can come-as-you-please without worrying if you’re in an appropriate attire. It’s a place where everything is open air, relaxed and time stands still as you breathe in the salty tang of the ocean breeze. You can be barefoot and let the sand caress and massage your ankles as you listen to the live band play your favorite songs. You can also just hang out and talk with your friends without having to shout to be heard.

Barefoot Beach Bar & BBQ is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day. Credit cards are accepted. For more information call 234-6601 or visit http://www.kanoaresort.com.First published at the Marianas Variety HERE

THE Buffet World at Saipan World Resort was that one place where I wanted to have lunch but for one reason or another, I always never made it on time until one noontime last week when it was all unplanned.

My lunch companion Patrick and I were at the door right after it opened at 11:30 a.m. along with a handful of early diners who were mostly hotel guests. The spacious dining area was vacant leaving us with a wide choice of tables to choose from.

We headed to a table near the clear glass walls that offered a fabulous view of the swimming pools and the Jungle Wave Park, a bit far from the buffet tables so we wouldn’t be tempted to go for a refill that quick.

Heading to the salad bar, I surprised Pat by filling up my plate with vegetables, something which I rarely do if ever, and smeared them with Thousand Island Dressing. The Buffet World’s salad bar had potato salad, fresh greens and more as well as a selection of dressings. The seafood section carried a mouthwatering display of mussels, shrimp, slices of fresh sashimi on a huge boat-shaped platter, crabs and more choices. I picked on a few slices of sashimi minus the wasabi paste and headed back to our table.

Even before I finished my salad, I was already getting full but I checked out the main dishes just the same. It was hard not to load your plate with all the delectable choices from the buffet main section. I ladled two generous servings of the seafood fried rice. It looked tempting with the bits of onion, corn, peas and seafood sprinkled on it and was not like the regular fried rice floating in oil you see everywhere.

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I also spooned some stir-fried vegetables, pasta, a couple of fried chicken wings, some slices of tofu topped with chopped onion leaves, some very tempting slices of grilled flank steak topped with onion rings and bits of bell peppers, fish fillet, and my plate was already groaning. I didn’t even get a chance to check out the Korean cuisine that was in a separate sectionThe Buffet World’s bread and dessert section carried a wide selection of your favorite breads, tempting sweets and fresh fruit.

Pat was more excited for the Wave Jungle adventure in store for us I noticed. He capped the meal with white wine from the beverage section.

We were having a leisurely lunch and didn’t notice that all the tables had been filled up and lunch time was coming to its end. Lingering on our glasses of wine, we were beginning to get drowsy when Saipan World Resort sales and marketing department/local sales manager Michael Babauta joined us for a brief chat.
We went out of The Buffet World and headed to the Jungle Park where we burned all that we ate in an afternoon of fun in the water and slides.

Check out the newly refurbished Buffet World when you’re hungry. It’s also open for breakfast and dinner. It’s on the ground floor of Saipan World Resort and open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every day. Credit cards are accepted. For inquiries or reservations, call 234-5900 extension 344.

THE moment I pushed the heavy wooden door of Manic Inn in Susupe yesterday, I felt lost, wondering if I had just stepped into someone’s private home.

Sensing my hesitation, a food staffer welcomed me and my companion, guided us to the bar stools and handed us laminated menus. We were not lost after all.

Seen from outside, Manic Inn’s cement pillars and glass window protected by bars looked intriguing, but I often thought that it was an exclusive night club. If not for the illustrated menu in English and Russian posted outside, I would not have entered it.

Browsing over the menu, we decided to get something to eat first before we continue to look around. The menu mostly had drinks and cocktails.

My companion decided to try sizzling beef steak while I opted for non-spicy fried chicken wings. We also asked for a couple of servings of rice to go with our orders.

While waiting, I feasted my eyes on the knick-knacks lying or hanging around the bar: an old gaslight between a ceramic mug and a stuffed toy, miniature pots and pans wedged between shells and dolls. The walls, bar top and shelves were filled with a glorious array or disarray of totally unrelated bric-a-brac.

An opening in the roof with zigzagged edges provided solar lighting and allowed us to see the rain pelting the smoky glass. A thick, heavy steel chain crept its way across one corner of the floor. Transparent bulbs hung from bars strung across the ceiling. The place looked like a stockroom.

But it also had a row of comfortable bar stools and a long table at the far end facing mirrors. Three television sets were mounted on the walls to provide entertainment and karaoke. If you want, you can have your drinks at the table or at the stools outside.

Manic Inn’s totally cozy ambiance makes you feel at home as soon as you get the hang of it.

Manic Inn & Bar is located between Izakaya Restaurant and Chow Queen Bakery in Susupe. It is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Major credit cards are accepted. For reservations, call 235-8820, email manicinn@pticom.com, or visit http://manicinn.com.